Monday, January 02, 2012

As the year comes to a close and I take a look back at all the releases that dropped in 2011 I have to say that it’s probably been the best year for hip hop albums since 2003. The productivity machines such as Tech N9ne and K Rino have lived up to expectations by dropping quality product, but it also was a year that saw long awaited solos drop from the likes of Lyrical Commission’s Trem and the debut solo from local Adelaide talent Prime. The only downside (and it’s a stretch to even call it that) is having to come up with a top 10 for 2011, so before I start here are some regretful omissions:

So Weezy F Baby makes it into my top 10, some of you would probably think I’ve lost my mind but I can’t help but love this guy. I was never a big Hot Boys (or Ca$h Money in general) fan but I have always thought that The Carter II was a solid release, and while III had some good tracks it let me down. The Carter IV has some wack shit on it, don’t get me wrong (How To Love above all others), but it also had enough quality on it to make me purchase it within a week of downloading it. I can see why Wayne isn’t everyone’s favourite rapper, but the guy has some killer lyrics that only work thanks to his unique delivery. Numerous stand out tracks can be found on this album but It’s Good, Mirror, John and President Carter take the cake. I have to note though - if the Intro, Intermission and Outro were released as one long track as it was originally planned then it would have been my track of the year (or close to it) thanks to top notch verses by Tech N9ne, Bun B and Nas and I reckon it just turned out disjointed the way they chopped them up. All in all a far from perfect release but one that has a lot of replay value none the less.

#9: Reef The Lost Cauze – Your Favorite MC

A mainstay of Philadelphia’s underground scene, Army of The Pharaohs and JuJu Mob’s Reef The Lost Cauze teamed up with German producers Snowgoons in 2011 to drop what I feel confident in calling his strongest solo album yet. After Vinnie Paz, Reef has long been my second favourite AOTP member and on this album he shows exactly why – he can pull off street shit, pull out the braggadocio bars and most impressively get the listener to reflect on their beliefs while being entertained by Reef’s own life. The highlight of this album comes with the penultimate track, 100 Rhyme Books, which is an open letter to his son speaking on a whole spectrum of issues such as race, relationships and religion. The album closes out with another memorable addition, Fuck Rappers (Remix) which features a great verse from La Coka Nostra’s Slaine, as well as FT and some comical bars from the Chicken Man. If you’re into that Snowgoons sound you’ll love this album as they’re also at the top of their production game.

#8: WC - Revenge Of The Barracuda

This is one of those albums that show that it’s definitely all about quality over quantity. Now don’t get me wrong, it was a bit of a let down to only have a dozen new joints to enjoy, but they’re all at that standard that we’ve come to expect from the Low Profile, WC & The Maad Circle and Westside Connection legend. Another release on Ice Cube’s Lench Mob imprint, William Calhoun makes it clear that he can still hold his own with the best of them. With banging West Coast production from the likes of Hallway Productionz, Fredwreck, Jah Zilla and Trick Trick, WC drops verse after verse with his trademark dominant delivery that has made him an icon. Nothing on this album is groundbreaking or even out of the realms of what you’d expect from him, but that’s not a complaint, the dude does what he does well so he’s stuck to a formula that works for him. Cutting up Eazy E samples on the keeping real anthem100% Legit makes for an album highlight, as does Reality Show where he seamlessly namedrops a bunch of TV shows into his rhymes.

#7: Lupe Fiasco – L.A.S.E.R.S.

It’s rare to find an artist with such meaningful music making such a successful impact on the mainstream, but Lupe manages it whilst upholding his artistic integrity. His music is to me like an episode of The Simpsons, it can be appreciated by so many different people on different levels.A lot of people seem to have been let down by this album in comparison to his previous efforts, but to me, this is my favourite Lupe album to date. With the incredible Skylar Grey on the hook, Words I Never Said is the track that best sums up Lupe’s qualities. Here’s a track that a bunch of teenage girls enjoy, but at the same time the lyrics are profound and controversial reflections of the world in this day and age. I also love the irony of State Run Radio being enjoyed by so many mindless sheep when the track addresses the stations that sort of demographic listen to religiously. I hate the garbage the radio usually plays with a passion, so to be able to listen to a track like The Show Goes On while lining up to order my lunch at Subway was a breath of fresh air.

#6: Slaine – A World With No Skies 2.0

This Suburban Noize release by La Coka Nostra and Special Teamz emcee Slaine had to make it into the Top 10, but I found it really hard to decide where. If it was officially released in its original form (the version that leaked) then it would have been a few spots higher. However, on the merit of this release itself it probably could even be a couple of spots lower – so with that in mind, I balanced it out and put it in between. Really disappointed that some of the best tracks were left off of the official release, but to be fair there are a couple of memorable additions like when Slaine teams up with Son of Skam for the junkie dissZombie and the quality personal reflection Jumpin' Out The Window with Edo G and Cyrus Deshield. To me, Slaine is definitely one of the top rappers of the current era as he combines quality (and often meaningful) rhymes with a unique delivery that is unmistakably Bostonian. Through his acting roles in Gone Baby Gone and The Town (both movies featuring Slaine’s music on the soundtracks) he has opened himself up to a wider audience and with a new LCN album set to be released soon we’ll surely be hearing a lot more from the aggressive Irish-American in 2012.

#5: Tech N9ne – All 6’s and 7’s

The one with the name of a gun has been one of my top 5 rappers for a long time now and in the past couple of years his fan base has multiplied tenfold thanks to a productivity level and work ethic unmatched by anyone else in the game. A personal highlight of mine on this album comes with Am I A Psycho? which sees the K.C. King team up with B.o.B. and the hugely talented Cali native Hopsin to create a memorable piece of demented music. The Michael ‘Seven’ Summers produced single He's a Mental Giant is another standout that allows Tech no confront his narcissistic personality with the sort of arrogance that so few can pull off without seeming like a total dickhead. Tecca Nina also draws on his more intimate side with Mama Nem, a profound dedication to his dying mother and all the other women who played influential roles in his life. The biggest disappointment for me is that that 6 bonus tracks on the Best Buy and iTunes editions are up there with the best on the album, and would have been better utilised in replacing tracks like the mediocre I Love Music and Overtime on the official track listing. As much as I love Tech’s music, in recent years the marketing gimmicks put forward by Strange Music are becoming increasingly annoying and detracting from the top draw product they’re pushing. With all that said, Tech N9ne is still one of the best rappers of all time and his product deserves to be achieving the great sales the recent times have rewarded him with.

#4: Prime – Good Morning

Hailing from the south of Adelaide, Prime made a name for himself in the local scene by honing his skills on the battle circuit. However, unlike many other battle rappers, Prime utilised the reputation he has earned and built on it as a recording artist. Having already released the 007 and 2010 mixtapes and the much successful One Way Ticket album as a member of the collective Pagen Elypsis, 2011 saw Prime turn his attention to putting out his solo project. Renowned for his punch lines and word play as a part of PE, the solo platform allows Prime to draw on the more personal aspects of his life in his music. This increase in the personal lyrics is never more evident than on the final verse of Pour It On A Page or the brutally honest self-reflection One Click. Those who got a hold of this release hoping for some ferocious punch lines would have hitting the repeat button instantly at the end of Three Men (Ft Purpose and Raven) and anyone like myself who appreciates a good story track would agree that Heaven & Hell is another of the album’s many stand outs. While Good Morning probably won’t make much noise beyond Australia’s shores, it is a release that affirms that Prime is one of our country's most talented eminent talents and a name to follow closely in the months and years to come. Oh and I forgot to mention, you can download this album for free > HERE <

#3: K Rino – Alien Baby/ The Day Of The Storm

A year hasn’t passed in recent memory where K Rino has failed to drop a release, or numerous releases for that matter. 2011 was another busy year in the career of the South Park Coalition’s leader and founder. Now, usually I would give K Rino two places in this Top 10 but as so many impressive albums came out I thought I’d cheat and place them in the same spot, also owing to the fact that I can’t decided which album I think is better. When you buy a Rino album you know what you are going to expect, there are never any major surprises. You’ll get a few lyrically advanced onslaughts ala his Flow Sessions. He will school you on political corruption and historical inaccuracies with educational efforts like Lifting The Veil and Let It Burn. You will be reassessing your life and daily actions thanks to tracks like The Fallen King, M.O.A.N. (Missed Opportunities And Negligence), Universal Author& Don’t Leave Me. Then there’s always those songs with creative concepts such as Who Is This (a tale of infidelity) and Indentity Theft. So to summarise,K Rino has a formula that he always sticks with, and as the quality is always top notch you’ll never hear me or any of his fans complaining. Another memorable year for the man who I think is the greatest rapper of all time.

#2: Brotha Lynch Hung – The Coathanga Strangla

There are very few rappers who have been holding it down for as many years as Sacramento’s Brotha Lynch Hung, and even fewer who have maintained the same level of quality as the years have passed by. Now signed to Strange Music, 2011 was the year when the cannibal rapper dropped the second instalment of his sick and twisted trilogy. Backing up from the first album on the Kansas City based rap label (Dinner and A Movie) was never going to be an easy task as it achieved cult like status amongst his hoard of fans across the globe. However, to Lynch’s credit, he came back and bettered the previous effort, all this a midst rumours he was going to be dropped from Strange due to differences with Tech N9ne. The Coathanga Strangla is not everyone’s (colostomy) bag. It is one of those albums I think is a masterpiece yet I get why others fail to see the brilliance in it. The Sac Town rapper’s rhyme style is unique, so much so that you could be forgiven for mistaking his lyrics for the psychotic ramblings of a nutcase in a mental asylum. But that’s what this trilogy (and much of his career) is all about - getting inside the mind of a psychopathic character Lynch has created (closely based on himself) and rapping about his day to day life. The production on this release is also deserving of a mention – beats by Michael "Seven" Summers and Phonk Beta create the perfect ambience for this audio journey. Like I said, not for everyone, but I’m sure there’s a few people out there who will hail this as a classic in years to come.

#1: Trem One – For The Term Of His Natural Life

Although it was hard to select placings for this Top 10 list, I never had any doubt about what album would be sitting at the top of the pile. Twenty years on the mic has allowed Trem to hone his skills before unleashing this debut on the world. While many whinged about the constant delay, few now begrudge having to wait. The Melbourne rap mainstay is the epitome of a rapper’s rapper and For The Term Of His Natural Life is a HIP HOPalbum. I am not one of those people stuck thinking that the only good hip hop came out in a certain ‘golden’ era, and I’m not a person who thinks hip hop music needs to fit a certain set of regulations – but when an album comes along and just exemplifies everything the culture has represented from its inception I can’t help but feeling a sense of nostalgia for a period that I was never even able to experience myself. The subject matter on this release is mostly relating to hip hop culture, with a notable exception being Animal Kingdom, a chilling ode to the darker side of Melbourne that had an equally amazing accompanying music video. For the most part, on this album Trem uses his wisdom to rap about a range of aspects of hip hop culture in a matter-of-fact way only made authentic by a been-there done-that stalwart of the scene such as himself. With a graffiti writers anthem Hard Yards, a bitter reflection (Omega Man) on the negative changes hip hop has made and Strips (a tale about rap groupies) Trem addresses all aspects of the culture. Trem is anything but a mixed bag. Track after track this album follows in the same vein as the track that it was preceded by. I usually appreciate (and even desire) a varying range of styled tracks on an album, but Trem doesn’t need it. Trem represents the old school. A generation jaded with the direction hip hop has headed. While I personally think the music is alive and well, I still agree with the majority of things Trem has to say and think that while a market flooded with rap albums about rap would be boring, this album says everything that needs to be said, and Trem does so in a way that is second to none on a worldwide scale.

Friday, November 18, 2011

In the lead up to his debut album, this year's Hilltop Hoods initiative winner has decided to give listeners a small taste of what’s to come. November 18, 2011 marks the release of "The Forked Road" – a free mix (digital and physical) from the Adelaide MC/Producer, Koolta and mixed by DJ PT.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Real Name:Dwight Arrington Myers.Hailing From:Mandeville, JamaicaDate Of Birth:May 24, 1967Date Of Death: November 8, 2011Cause Of Death: Heavy D collapsed outside his home and then passed away due to respiratory distress at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Cente in California.

Thursday, October 06, 2011

Real Name:Brad LucasHailing From:Port Adelaide, South AustraliaDate Of Birth: 1 October 1985Date Of Death:5 October 2011

Yesterday I was saddened by news of Mandle's passing. A few years ago we used to chat on a regular basis and shared some good times together, often spent doing nothing but discussing hip hop. As a huge fan of horror movies he couldn't get enough of the dark side of hip hop, including some of my favourite artists such as Insane Poetry and Q Strange. It was a pleasure being able to share music with somebody who felt equally as passionately about it as I did.

The world has lost a viscious battle rapper and a talented musician, but also one of the funniest dudes I have ever met. I don't think I ever held a convo with him that didn't involve a joke every other sentence. I won't front like we always got along, we had our differences, but I am thankful that we managed to resolve them in recent times and that our last conversation was nothing but a positive one. My thoughts go out to his family and friends. May he Rest In Peace.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

One of Australia's most talented emcees, Prime, is on the verge of digitally unleashing his debut release onto the world. In anticipation for this he has uploaded a handful of tracks on his website as well as enlisting the talents of Full Clip to create a video for 'Restore My Faith'To download the aforementioned tracks, and to keep up to date with what the dude has been up to check out his website: PRIME IS HERE

Monday, June 06, 2011

Monday, May 02, 2011

Q Strange returns with the first single off his long awaited return "Liquored Up" off the Scumbag Superstar project.

The song was produced by 40oz feat. Jim Perkins (producer for big b, kmk, schwayze, and opm) on guitar. The video introduces fans to Scumbag Superstar and stars Q, D Rocc, and DJ Khan, along with cameos by Fury, Mastamindz, Jack Beazly and providence rap legend Bobby Braciola.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Leading up to ‘If The City Had a Voice II’, Purpose has put out 5 releases both as solo and group efforts, toured the country and continued to grow both in and out of the studio as he honed his sound. This mixtape serves as a pre-cursor to his debut solo album 'Where It Starts' Dropping Late 2011 It is a collaborative effort with DJ Hacksaw (Pagen Elypsis, Battlehoggs, Train of Thought) made up of a handful of original music with some beat-jacks thrown in for good measure. This release paints an avid picture of the new generation in Australian Hip-Hop music and offers a peak into the future of an artist that has laid a solid foundation both locally and internationally. It features Pagen Elypsis, Kilenm (USA), Arkaic (UK), Motive & Prime and features production by Purpose, Eslev & Zarkov...::TRACK LIST::..1. A Nice Thought 2. If the CIty Had A.. 3. While the Whole World Sleeps 4. Where I'm Comin' From (Produced by Purpose) 5. Remember ft. Prime 6. Mistresses 7. You Said that You Loved Me (skit) 8. 6 In the Mornin (Produced by Purpose) 9. No Way, No How 10. All Over the World ft. Kilenm & Arkaic (Produced by Purpose) 11. Faded 12. Every Rose 13. Still Standin (Remix) 14. 10:59 PM ft. Motive BONUS TRACK 15. One Hit Away (Zarkov Remix)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Slaine says guineas and micks don't mix but I've still got alotta time for the La Coka Nosta/ Special Teamz member out of Bawston. This dude's one of the best rappers in the game right now and when A World With No Skies finally drops, hopefully he gets recognized as such. Also keep an eye out for him on the silver screen, especially after how good he was in The Town, no doubt he'll be going from strength to strength in Hollywood too.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Real Name: Nathaniel HaleHailing From:Long Beach, CaliforniaDate Of Birth: 19 August 1969Date Of Death:15 March 2011Cause Of Death:On December 19, 2007, Nate Dogg suffered a stroke that made his left side paralyized. He was expected to recover, however he had a 2nd stroke in September 2008. Details on his death will be released in the coming days.

Monday, March 07, 2011

Oakland, Ca- After a two-year hiatus since his last major release, Bay Area MC T- K.A.S.H has emerged with fellow West coast MC Five Eighty to release “Peace Of The Puzzle”, a digital EP which features new music from both T-K.A.S.H. and Five Eighty, including the back-to-basics lyrical sparring track" Clap Ya Hands ” ( feat. Mikial ) and T-K.A.S.H.'s tribute track " Dear Herm ", in which he reflects on his teenage years under the influence of the music produced by Bay Area Hip Hop Social Activist, Andre “HERM” Lewis.

When asked about the EP and his contribution to theproject, Five Eighty reflects , " When I was presented with the idea, I wanted to jump on board and seize the opportunity because I knew I had material that was in line with the main message of the project which is peace, community activism and awareness ".

Creatively, they both agree that these songs are much more peacefuland reflective than most of the previous music they have released in the past, and on the contrary to what T-K.A.S.H. describes as " Hyper-intellectual, complaint-based" music which he feels most people could be duped into believing is the absolute formula for " conscious " Hip-Hop.

In other related news, Five Eighty is currently working on a sophomorerelease with R&B artist HazAli as the duo Medina and T-K.A.S.H isscheduled to complete the Half Marathon Course at the OaklandRunning Festival, which will be held this March in Oakland, Ca. His run is in order to raise awareness for Non-Violent life strategies through the Bay Area-based Hip Hop Chess Federation, founded by Adisa Banjoko.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Adelaide hip hop artist and Terra Firma member Simplex releases his debut solo album Audio Biography. The long awaited album is the hard hitting, thought provoking next chapter of the Adelaide sound, summarizing Simplex’s life within and outside hip hop. Tackling the issues of identity, relationships and careers, Audio Biography highlights significant events in life that all individuals go through. Describing the harsh realities of the real world, Audio Biography gives listeners a glimpse of his life: the clash of wanting to be your own person while battling society's norms and routines. Produced entirely by Simplex, the album weaves together classic hip hop with a modern streak of attitude and personality best seen in the first single, “Beautiful Day”. An upbeat sounding number about how materialistic objects act as a distraction to keep us focused on competing with each other rather than solving the real issues. The single is the first salvo in the Simplex canon- breaking free from group dynamics to forge a sound of his own. Featuring a diverse array of guests including renown Australian Hip Hop artist Delta, the very talented Ranto Bokgo from South Africa (in the global sounds of "Worldwide", where the issue addressed is that no matter where you are from, we all struggle with bad days, and we should be united instead of divided by borders, ethnicity or religious ideals), the dynamic vocals of Candice Monique (from M-Phazes’ "Goodbye Gravity") and his fellow crew-members, Terra Firma (“First Things First”), the album boasts a ‘something for everyone’ element. Through its rich lyrical content, infectious melodies backed by world-class production, Simplex laces in the beauty of maintaining a fighting stance in a world that controls us and each of his tracks boast a subtle rebellious streak that shows his own powerful approach to life.Track listing: 01. FORWARD 02. I HAVE NOTHING 03. FIRST THINGS FIRST (feat. TERRA FIRMA) 04. BEAUTIFUL DAY 05. BE SOMEBODY 06. PLAY 07. WORLDWIDE (feat. RANTO BOKO) 08. SIGNS (feat. MISS KARLEENA) 09. OPUS OPERANDI (feat. MOTION, DELTA, ALERTS) 10. WORK FOR A LIVING 11. SCHOOLYARD POLITICS 12. ME VS. WORLD (feat. CANDICE MONIQUE)Produced by: Simplex

Sunday, December 05, 2010

Top Dawg Entertainment and Strange Music proudly present the release of Jay Rock’s Black Friday mixtape. With his insatiable drive and relentless hunger, Jay Rock has already proven himself to be a key figure of the New West movement. In a time when the landscape of hip hop is over saturated with lazy club hits and “MCs” who have nothing to say, Black Friday is the perfect holiday gift for fans and rap heads alike who desperately seek something real to keep their heads moving throughout the winter. Armed with a gritty baritone flow and soulful delivery, Jay Rock takes listeners on a journey through the sights and sounds of the streets with the help of guests like Kendrick Lamar, Big Scoob, Ab Soul, Spider Loc and more. Don’t miss the latest release from one of hip hop’s rising stars and download your copy of Black Friday today.

Click here to download your free copy of the Black Friday mixtape. In 2011 be on the lookout for Jay Rock’s debut album release Follow Me Home.

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Thinking back about 3 or 4 years there would be days I wouldn't sleep for 3 days in a row, and the lack of sleep wasn't even substance induced. Thankfully those days are now long gone, but I've never been one of those people who manage a consistant 8 hours a night, not that I need it - 5 is usually more than enough. Over the last couple of weeks though I've just felt constantly exhausted, maybe it's just that time of the year. Anyway, enough about that...

It brings me to the point of this blog post. Today I was sitting there, eyes burning through the back of my skull, and then Slaine's 'Insomnia' came on. Perfect timing for it to pop up. It got me thinking of Perth rapper Drapht's track of the same name, and then a few others sprung to mind. This post includes a link to just 10 of many tracks that rappers have made about (or at least referring to) sleep deprevation. So next time you're having trouble getting to sleep, forget counting sheep - just put your headphones in and bump these tracks.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Now, being an Australian October 31st has little signficiance for me. Sure, everyone down here knows it's Halloween but most years it's a non event, aside from a few kids who might find it a good excuse trying to score some free candy. So with that said I kind of feel stupid even doing a post on the subject, but oh well, I've decided to post five tracks that sample the classic Halloween theme, composed by John Carpenter. I know there's a few others out there (a Dre track, a Biggie track and an intro by the Hard Boys for example), but five's a good number.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

“I spent thousands of hours creating ‘A World With No Skies’. I want it to be a vivid picture of my dreams, nightmares, and psyche. I refuse to compromise my vision for a project that means so much to me,” commented Slaine.

“I have recently had some success in a way that unexpectedly put a mainstream light on me. I could give a fuck less about that kind of attention. What I do give a fuck about is maintaining the integrity of my album, so I have had to deal with sample clearance issues which caused it to be delayed until early 2011. In the meantime while I rework the album, I am giving you my new mixtape ‘The Devil Never Dies’ for free.

At the end of the day fans dont give a shit about red tape nor should they, and I wanted to put out new music now. I locked myself in my studio for two weeks and this is what I came out with.”

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

The one with the name of a gun is back with another EP release to hold his fans over until his next full length, All 6s And 7s, drops early in 2011. For those of you who keep checking Tech's releases, you'll remember that on the Lost Scripts of K.O.D. EP there was a track called Last Sad Song on which he said that track would be exactly that, his last sad song. He kept with that on the Ollie Gates Collabos album, however, sadly, Tech tweeted recently that his mother's health had deteriorated again, and Krizz Kaliko's best friend had passed away. As a result of these two events, Tech decided to go back into the studio and drop another EP of dark rhymes: Seepage.

On one of the deepest tracks Tech has ever recorded , The Rain, he says: 'They love my pain because it makes for great music'. So with this in mind I can't help but feel guilty for admitting that it's Tech N9ne's darker music that I really want to hear. As a fan of Tech N9ne I wish for nothing but the best for Aaron Yates the person, even if it results in more let down releases in the future (which is how I felt about Ollie Gates). But, to be honest as someone who finds shelter in the lyrics of my favourite emcees - Tech above most others- it's his most painful music that makes me (and many others) rate him so highly. People don't love seeing Tech in pain, but they do love the dark music it spawns because no matter the listener's age/race/religion or gender - they can relate to him.

As with all EPs, the downside with it is how short it is - but in terms of quality, Tecca Nina's still going as strong as ever. I've already put my pre-order in for a hard copy, and if you're even remotely into Tech, then I suggest ordering it off his site asap because it's a bargain at $6.99 and I can't see too many copies being pressed.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

For those of you who aren't familiar with the half Samoan/ half Mexican member of Yukmouth's Regime Gang, Monsta Ganjah hails from the city of Long Beach, California, although for the past few years Monsta's been living down here in Adelaide, South Australia.

The Long Beach native has featured on an array of Regime mixtapes such as the highly successful 'All Out War' series as well as Yuk's albums, as well as putting out a few mixtapes of his own. He is now signed to New Zealand's Dawn Raid label and is on the verge of dropping his debut album 'Pacific Coast Highway' on the 1st of November. In anticipation of this release Dawn Raid have been uploading a few tracks from the forthcoming album, so here they are in 1 file for you to download. If you like what you hear then make sure you cop the dude's album on the first of November to support dope music and good people.